Display device.



PATENTED AUG. 28, 1906.

A. S. SPIEGEL.

DISPLAY DEVICE. APPLIOATION FILED Nov. 29. 1905.

/E @Ue/afar.' ex

' vertising or as a sign or for,l other simi ar purber B fixed with relation to each other, as The object of my invention is to .provideI a device of the -characterindicated `in which" i UNiTED s'rATEs PATENT," OFFICE.

' ALEXADER s. SPIEGEL; oE-(rcaeo, iLLiNolIs.

l DISPLAY 'DEYICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. l Application lld November 29, 1905. Serial No. illMi?.

Patented Aug. 2s, 190e.`

To all whom it may concerns e Be it known that I, ALEXANDER S. SPIEGEI.,

which the following is a fu clear, concise,

and exact description.

My invention relates to display devices and is readily adapted for/,use in dis lay adposes.

the visible design is changeable.

My invention contemplates a device in which a plurality of desi ns, each composed of parts alternating wit the parts .of the other design or designs and screened in such manner that by varying the relation of the screenin member to the line of vision the visuale ect is varied. Such change in the relative position of the screen may be effected by making the designs and the screen movable with relation to each other and ispreferably accomplished by im arting a positive motion to said screen whi e the plate remains xed, or vice versa.

I will describe my invention more particular'ly in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-- l Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying my invention. Fig.,2 is a perspective view of the sign shown in Fig. 1, s ightly modiied in that the screening member is shown iixedly mounted, the change in the visiblel design being produced by a change in the position of the observer. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of the device with the screening member removed. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 4 4 of Fig. l, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-section showing a portion of the design diagrammatically.

Similar letters of reference designate simi` but three letters, it is obvious that any number within reasonable limits may be used. The effect, moreover, may-be varied by the use of different colors. A screenin member, here shown as a transparent plate having a series of parallel non-transparent stri s b, is placed over said designs, whereby -om the same point of vision only a single design at a t1me 1s visible through the transparent portions between said stri s. p With the plate A and t e screening memshown in Fig. 2, when viewed directly from the front, the letters N and E are visible, the other of the designs being concealed by the non-transparent strips b. When viewed -from the left, the letters D and C are alone visible. When viewed from the right, the letter V would replace the lett-ers N and D. The transparent plate B, which may be of glass, Celluloid, or other suitable material, serves as a s acing jnember to raise the strips b above t e design, as clearly shown in igs. 4 and 5.

In the drawings I have shown the strips b separated from each other by a space a proXimately one-half the width of said strips. This provides a suitable screen where three entirely distinct visual effects are to be produced by a relative change of the screen with respect to the line of vision.

In Fi 5 I have shown diagrammatically how a cange in the position of the observer roduces a change inthe design visible to im. VWhen directly in front of the sign, the part a, representing a ortion of the letter 5N, is visible throng the transparent opening b', thev parts a and a2, representing letters D and V, respectively, being concealed. When the eye is in the position shown at the left, a alone is visible, a and a.2

'being concealed. It is obvious that the eX- tent of the visible-face of the late A varies with the width ofthe opening and the distance the stri s b are separated from the surface of sai plate. The number of different changes in the visible sign is not limit- ICO ed, therefore, to three, but a much larger Y number is possible.

In Fig. 1 1I have shown the-plate B held in.

contact with the plate A by guide-strips c c at the top and bottom of the device, thus rendering the plate B movable with respect to plate A. Ubviously such movement of the plate back and forth would produce sub- Staiitiauy the Same effect on une4 visible Si n as the movement of the observer whent eV plates are fixed. A'change in the position of the non-transparent strips b with respect to the line of vision produces the change in the visible desi n. It is furthermore obvious that the c ange in the visible desi n may be made more or less gradual. Tie stage of the changes from one to the other may be so gradual as to be practically imperceptible, thus rendering a moving-picture effect. possiblewhere such effect is desirable.

Having thus described my invention, I claimv 1. In a display device, the combination With a plurality of designs each composed of parts a ternating With those of the other design or designs, of a transparent plate overlying said designs, said plate havin a screen upon its front surface through Whic said designs are successively visible u on a relative vchange of 'said screen With the ineof vision, said transparent plate constituting a spacing member for accurately spacing apart the design and the screen.

2. In a dis lay device, the combination with a rear piste having a plurality of de- Jsigns upon its face each composed of parts Ialternating With those of the other design or designs, of a transparent front plate mounted to have a reciprocating motion with -res ect to said rear plate, said transparent platev aving a screen upon its front surface through which said designs aresuccessively visible upon the relative movement of said plates, said transparent plate constituting a s acing member for accurately spacing apart t e design and the screen. f

In Witnessvwhereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 27th day of November, A. D. 1905. i

ALEXANDER S. SPIEGEL. 

